Your New Music Round Up: 09/06

Your weekly round-up of the best new releases and emerging artists from the past week. Featuring that Katy Perry record, Allie X’s utterly wonderfully debut full-length record and a new Declan McKenna track and video to bless your eyes and ears.

Declan McKenna: Humongous

Declan McKenna truly is the gift that keeps on giving. Not intent on simply dropping new track Humongous, we’re gifted with the brand new acompanying video clip too. Already an established favourite within his live sets, Humongous summerises “all the confusion and frustration I’ve had the last two years” whilst making for one of this summer’s must have debut records. In his own words: ““This was the last song I wrote for the record, not to pick a favourite child but I think this might be, definitely a step in the direction I’m heading in, I love big powerful choruses that you can just scream, and I wanted this to be one of those.”

London Grammar: Bones of Ribbon

After months of waiting, London Grammar have finally dropped their full sophomore album, with mid-track Bones of Ribbon striking as one of the strongest – both melodically and lyrically – on the whole album. The song serves as a crescendo that showcases the elaborate beauty and integrity behind the trio, building up into a euphoric last minute, laden with vocal riffs, synths and a nice dose of brass.

Zola Jesus: Exhumed

For LP #7, genre-boundary-breaker Zola Jesus seemingly combines each unique element of her previous outings for one celebratory explosion of dark, broody electronica with new single Exhumed marking a return to her unique and (frankly) terrifying sound. Another triumph from one of the most intriguing and impressive voices in indie of the past decade.

Allie X: Vintage

For those after the exact sonic opposite of that Zola Jesus track, check this. (New record COLLXTION II is incredible and your music library is crying out for it right now.)

Cigarettes After Sex: Young and Dumb

Cigarettes After Sex are a band who’s appraisal has been following them for quite some time now, selling out the likes of London’s KOKO with only a handful of single releases to their name. On their debut self-titled record, they may have crafted some of 2017’s most poignant and immersive, breezy guitar soundscapes capable of dragging the inner romantic out of anyone who takes a listen. We’ll pick the gorgeous closing track Young and Dumb as our standout, not simply because it features one of the year’s best lyrics: “You’re the patron saint of sucking cock.”

Check out ourv recent In Conversation With feature with Cigarettes After Sex frontman Gregg Gonzalez right here.

Katy Perry: Bigger Than Me

Overall, Katy Perry’s fifth full-length ain’t great. Whilst the record’s teaser singles that have fed their way across 2017 haven’t been all that awful (minus the dire Migos middle eight on Bon Appétit), only four really shine as worthy listens over the 15-track record. One courtesy of indietronica pioneers Hot Chip on production duties and the other three at the hands of gloomy, electro-duo Purity Ring, the latter’s assistance on Bigger Than Me marks one of the record’s far-and-few high points. This might only be because they’re undeniably Purity Ring tracks though…

Lorde: Sober

MORE LORDE. Having teased this new cut throughout her live performances in the lead up to second record Melodrama, the Kiwi icon drops the studio version of Sober with only a week to go until the full album release. Praise the Lorde.

Ariel Pink: Another Weekend

Following 2014’s immaculate pompom, Ariel Pink returns on top form with euphoric, hazzy Another Weekend ahead of as-yet-unannounced new record. A summer playlist essential sure to make your day that little bit brighter.